Liquid applicator



April 23, 1968 E. E. THOMAS ETAL 3,379,170

LIQUID APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1965 April 23, 1963 E. E. THOMAS ETAL 3,379,170

LIQUID APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet i" April 23, 1963 E. E. THOMAS ETAL 3,379,170

LIQUID APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet f Filed Feb. 16, 1965 aggdw pamd'ioz afi zm xfrra nvsys United States Patent 0 3,379,170 LIQUID APPLICATOR Edgar E. Thomas and David E. Lamon, Appleton, Wis.,

assignors to Appleton Machine Company, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 433,000 2 Claims. (Cl. 118-259) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A continuous web three-roll liquid applicator having a rider roll, a dampening roll and an applicator roll in which a moving Web passes between the rider roll and dampening roll in engagement with the outer surfaces thereof for causing rotation of the rolls. Pressure applied to the web as it passes between the rider roll and dampening roll may be positively controlled. The dampening roll and the applicator roll are mechanically interconnected so the applicator roll is positively driven by the dampening roll thereby allowing for control of the amount of liquid transferred from the applicator roll to the dampening roll. A liquid supplying means includes means for spraying liquid onto the surface of the applicator roll to maintain uniform distribution of the liquid across the roll and for controlling metering of the liquid onto the dampening roll.

Applicators of this general type are often used in the manufacture of paper wherein unfinished paper is provided with a desired moisture content or with a coating immediately preceding the final finishing steps which are usually accomplished in a device known as a supercalender. The applicator accomplishes this by adding a selected amount of a liquid solution to the web immediately prior to its passing into the supercalender. In the production of paper, a web is defined as a continuous sheet of paper manufactured or undergoing the process of manufacture on a paper machine.

These devices are not limited to processing paper, however, but may also be used to control the moisture in various other materials, examples of which include fabrics and cloth, coated and laminated products, or wood and other rigid materials. They also can be operated in various other on-line and off-line configuration, for example, between unwind and rewind reels, with coaters, laminators or presses and similar converting equipment.

Such liquid applicators are usually provided with three cylindrical rolls maintained adjacent to each other and in alignment with each other. The web to which liquid is to be applied is passed between two of the rolls, a rider roll and a dampening roll, making contact with the surfaces thereof. Liquid sprayed between a third roll, an applicator roll and the dampener roll is transferred to the dampening roll which frictionally drives the applicator roll. The solution on the surface of the dampening roll is applied to the web as it passes through the applicator.

Heretofore, devices of this type are not capable of applying the dampening solution to the web in the amounts needed in the manufacture of paper. These requirements may vary considerably and are dependent not only on the finish to be given the final product but are also dependent upon the material from which the paper is being manufactured. It is clear that one factor controlling the amount of solution ultimately applied to the web is the spacing between the applicator and dampening rolls. Such machines cannot provide more than a limited adjustment of the aforementioned spacing thereby limiting variations in the amount of solution available. This limitation arises from a rapid loss of friction coupling between the applicator and dampening rolls as the separation between them is increased until the device becomes inoperable due to loss of coupling.

Mechanisms embodying the present invention, however, are able to accommodate these varying requirements in a simple and efiicient manner allowing rapid, easy and wide ranges of control. In general, a liquid solution is supplied to an applicator roll which is adjustably positioned in spaced relation relative to a pair of rolls between which the web passes. The applicator roll is positively driven by one of the pair of rolls to allow for a wide range of control of the spacing between the applicator roll and the pair of rolls to vary the amount of the solution applied to the Web.

One embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinbelow, includes three substantially horizontal rolls. The surface of one roll, the dampening roll, is juxtaposed at diametrically opposed points to the surfaces of a rider roll and an applicator roll, and each of the rolls is supported to allow for adjustment of the spacing between them. The moving web passes between the rider and dampening rolls and engages the surfaces thereof causin g the rolls to rotate.

The pressure applied to the web as it passes between the rider and dampening rolls is governed by a pressure cylinder which positively controls the force applied to the rider roll in order to vary the pressure between the rider and dampening rolls. The liquid solution is introduced to the machine through an appropriate fluid conducting device such as a header provided with nozzles, and supplied thereby across the surface of the applicator roll.

The dampening and applicator rolls are mechanically interconnected so that the applicator roll is positively driven by the rotating dampening roll independent of the spacing between the two rolls. The solution on the surface of the applicator roll is transferred to the surface of the dampening roll and is applied thereby to the moving web as it passes between the rider and dampening rolls. The variation in the amounts of solution that may be applied to the web is increased substantially with resulting increase in the control range by providing for transfer of the solution from one roll to the other without the necessity of relying for motive power on the frictional forces present.

It is therefore apparent, that by positively driving the applicator roll to allow greater adjustment of the spacing between the applicator and dampening rolls, and by positively controlling the pressure applied to the web as it passes through the dampener, the moisture content or amount of solution applied to the web can be easily controlled and varied substantially beyond what has been previously possible. Such a device, for example, is capable of evenly and precisely distributing and applying at least 1%20% additional moisture.

In addition to the foregoing, numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and .one embodiment thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings in which each and every detail shown is fully and completely disclosed as a part of this specification, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective front view of a three roller web driven dampening machine embodying the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational side view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the machine of FIGURE I viewed substantially along the lines 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the gears linking two rolls of the present invention.

The three roller dampening machine embodying the present invention is shown assembled, housed and in operation in FIGURE 1. The machine 10 includes a pair of side frame plates 11 held in spaced parallel relation by a plurality of tie rods 13 adjacent the base corners of the plates and by tie rods 15 and -16, respectively, adjacent the upper front corner and upper back edge of the frame plates.

Each frame side plate 11 is provided with a slot 17 extending upwardly and toward the front of the plate at an angle of approximately 30 to the vertical. Two bearings 18 and 20 are slidably supported on rails 21 along the sides of each slot 17, the lower bearing 18 in each slot comprising a first pair and the upper bearing 20 in each slot forming a second pair. Each of the first or lower bearings 18 is adjustably supported in spaced relation from the bottom 22 of the slot 17 by suitable means such as calibrated jack screw 23 mounted in the frame 11. Each upper bearing 20 is similarly maintained in spaced relation with the lower pair of bearings 18 by a second jack screw 24 suitably mounted in a receiving block 25 affixed to the top of each lower bearing 18. A jack screw or similar device is used in order to allow sliding movement of the bearings 18, 20 within the slots 17 when desired and in order to fix the position of the bearings 18, 20 after such adjustment.

The shaft of a horizontally disposed applicator roll 27 is rotatably supported at either end by the lower pair of slidable bearings 18. The surface of the water applicator roll 27 is etched or shot peened with new 80 grit shot and provided with a special water retentive chrome plate finish, or a ceramic or other water retentive coating may be applied to the roll surface. The shaft of a horizontally disposed dampening roll 30 is rotatably supported at each of its ends by the upper pair of slidable bearings 20. The dampening roll 30 is suitably surfaced, for example, with a polyvinyl chloride, a polyurethane covering or other plastic type material, or a cover of rubber which typically may have a hardness of 75-85 durometer.

A base plate 31 is mounted on the upper surface 32 of each frame side plate 11 transverse to and across the open end 33 of the slot 17. A base mounted air cylinder 35 supported by the base plate 31 has a portion 36 extending through the plate 31 and suitably attached to an extension 37 on the upper surface of the upper bearing 20. Each of a third or top pair of bearings 38 is attached to the piston 40 of the base mounted cylinder 35 for movement relative to the base plate 31 when the position of the piston is altered. The shaft of a third rider roll 42 which may be surfaced in a similar manner as the dampener roll 30, has its ends rotatably supported by the top bearings 38.

The position of each of the pistons 40 in the base mounted cylinders 35 is controlled by a second, pivot mounted compressed air cylinder 43 and piston 45 afiixed to the rear edge of a side frame plate 11. The two pistons 40, 45, are interconnected by linking arms 46, 47 which are connected together and pivotally mounted at a point 48 near the upper rear corner of each side plate 11 between the two pistons. Variation of pressure in the pivot mounted cylinder 43 causes movement of its piston 44, the linking arms 46, 47, and the piston 40 of the base mounted cylinder 35 to positively control the position of the rider roll 42. An adjusting screw 50 mounted on the upper surface 32 of each side plate 11 adjacent the base mounted cylinder 35 and on the side opposite from the pivot 48, engages the lower surface 51 of that portion 52 of linking arm 47 extending past the base mounted cylinder 35 to provide an adjustable positive limit stop for movement of the rider roll 42.

The dampening solution is supplied to the surface of the applicator roll 27 by a series of spray head nozzles 53 attached to a shower header 55 extending horizontally .4 between the side frame plates 11. The header 55 is supported at each end by a pivot arm 56 pivotally mounted on the side plates 11 to allow movement of the header 55 relative to the applicator roll 27. The solution normally is sprayed on the applicator roll 27 at approximately top dead center so that the rotating applicator roll 27 will carry the solution into contact with the dampening roll 30 to form a pool of excess liquid 57 at the juncture or nip 58 between the rolls.

As most clearly shown in FIGURE 4, the applicator roll 27 and the dampening roll 30 are interconnected by two gears 59, 60 mounted on the shaft of each of the rolls 27, 30, respectively, and at one end thereof between the bearings 18, 20, respectively. The gears 59, 60 are designed to mesh despite variations in spacing between the two rolls thereby allowing the dampening roll 30 to positively drive the applicator roll 27 independently of any frictional coupling or lack thereof between their surfaces.

An air duct or dryer 61 is mounted adjacent to the dampening roll 30 to clean the roll prior to threading a web 62 of paper through the dampener 10. The web 62 is threaded between the dampening and rider rolls 30 and 42, respectively, and engages the surfaces thereof as it passes between them.

Appropriate splash guards 63, 64 are provided at the front and back of the dampener, respectively, in order to prevent not only splashing of liquid in the vicinity of the machine, but also to prevent spurious dampening of the Web 62 prior to and after leaving the applicator. The lower edges of the splash guards '63, 64 are attached to a pan =65 surrounding the bottom of the dampener 10 in which is located a drain 66 for disposal of excess solution.

The machine 10' is placed into operation by passing the web 62 between the dampening roll 30 and the rider roll 42 causing the rolls to rotate. The rotating dampening roll 30 positively drives the applicator roll 27 through the interconnecting gears 59, 60 fixed to the shafts of the respective rolls. The dampening solution is supplied from the header 55 and nozzles 53 to the surface of the applicator roll 27 in sufficient quantities to form the pool 57 of excess solution at the nip 58 between the applicator and dampening rolls. This pool 57 insures that there is sufficient solution at the nip 58 to provide even transfer of the liquid from the applicator roll 27 to the dampening roll 30. The liquid solution transferred to the dampening roll 30 is carried on its surface and transferred to the web 62 passing through the machine 10. The amount of liquid added to the web is affected not only by variations in the pressure applied between the dampening and rider rolls, but also by the amount of liquid transferred from the applicator to the dampening roll. The positive coupling between the applicator and dampening rolls as provided by the present invention allows for more sensitive and diversified control of the liquid applied.

It will be readily observed from the foregoing detailed description of the invention and .in the illustrated embodiment thereof that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts and principles of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for applying liquid to a moving web of paper-like material including in combination a rider roll and a dampening roll between which is passed the moving web in engagement with the outer surfaces thereof for causing rotation of said rolls, means for applying a force to said rider roll to vary the pressure applied between said rolls, an applicator roll, means for maintaining said dampening roll and said applicator roll in variable spaced apart relation, means for positively interconnecting said dampening roll with said applicator roll for allowing the dampening roll to drive the applicator roll independent of the spacing therebetween, and means for uniformly spraying selected amounts of liquid solution on said applicator roll adjacent the nip between said applicator roll and said dampening roll to maintain a selected constant level of liquid at the nip independent of the spacing between said rolls, whereby the amount of liquid applied to said darnpening roll is controlled by the spacing between said dampening roll and said applicator roll.

2. Apparatus for applying liquid to a moving web of paper-like material including in combination a rubber covered rider roll and a rubber covered dampening roll between which passes the moving web in engagement with the outer surfaces thereof for causing rotation of said rolls, pressure means connected to said rider roll for applying adjustable force thereto to vary the pressure between said rider and dampening rolls, a chrome plated applicator roll maintained in adjustable spaced apart relation and in alignment with said dampening roll, gear means interconnecting said dampening roll and said applicator roll for positively driving said applicator roll independent of the spacing between said applicator roll and said dampening roll, and means for spraying a liquid on the surface of the applicator roll adjacent the nip between said applicator and dampening rolls at a rate to allow for formation of an excess pool of liquid at said nip, whereby the amount of liquid applied to said dampening roll from said applicator roll may be controlled by the spacing therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 845,734 2/1907 Ford ll8249 2,386,731 10/ 1945 Wenzelberger 118262 2,749,878 6/1956 Hagen 1l8-249 2,876,734 3/1959 Nitchie 118249 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. LEON G. MACHLIN, Examiner. 

